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Related Concept Videos

Chromatin Packaging01:32

Chromatin Packaging

Each human somatic cell contains 6 billion base pairs of DNA. Each base pair is 0.34 nm long, meaning each diploid cell contains a staggering 2 meters of DNA. This long DNA strand is packed inside a nucleus measuring only 10-20 microns in diameter with the help of specialized DNA-binding proteins called histones. Together they form a compact DNA-protein complex called chromatin. The chromatin is further compacted into higher-order structures. The highest level of compaction is achieved during...
Chromatin Packaging02:21

Chromatin Packaging

Each human somatic cell contains 6 billion base-pairs of DNA. Each base-pair is 0.34 nm long, which means that each diploid cell contains a staggering 2 meters of DNA. How is such a long DNA strand packed inside a nucleus measuring only 10 - 20 microns in diameter? 
The chromatin
In combination with specialized DNA binding protein called Histones, the DNA double helix forms a compact DNA: protein complex called chromatin. The chromatin itself is further compacted into higher-order structures.
Chromatin Packaging02:21

Chromatin Packaging

Each human somatic cell contains 6 billion base-pairs of DNA. Each base-pair is 0.34 nm long, which means that each diploid cell contains a staggering 2 meters of DNA. How is such a long DNA strand packed inside a nucleus measuring only 10 - 20 microns in diameter? 
The chromatin
In combination with specialized DNA binding protein called Histones, the DNA double helix forms a compact DNA: protein complex called chromatin. The chromatin itself is further compacted into higher-order structures.
Histone Variants at the Centromere02:30

Histone Variants at the Centromere

Histone variants are the histone proteins with structural and sequence variations. These variants may be regarded as “mutant” forms that replace their canonical histone counterparts in the nucleosomes. Specific post-translational modifications on the histone variants enable further chromatin complexity and regulate tissue-specific gene expression. The most common histone variants are from histone H2A, H2B, and linker histone H1 families. However, several variants of histone H3 variants are also...
The Nucleosome01:19

The Nucleosome

Human DNA is almost two meters long. However, it is compressed inside a tiny nucleus measuring only a few microns in diameter. To make this degree of compaction possible, DNA is organized into several sequential levels so that it can fit into such a tiny space. The most compact form of DNA is a chromosome that can be seen under a microscope in a dividing cell.
In a chromosome, DNA is wound twice around a protein complex called a histone octamer core, which consists of 8 histone proteins. This...
The Nucleosome02:33

The Nucleosome

DNA in a human cell is almost 2m long and it is packed inside a tiny nucleus that is only a few microns in diameter. The level of compaction of DNA inside the nucleus is astonishing. It is organized into several sequentially higher levels of compaction to fit into such a tiny space. The most compact form of DNA is a chromosome that can be seen under a microscope in a dividing cell.
DNA is wound twice around a protein complex called histone core, that consist of 8 histone proteins. This complex...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Assembly of Nucleosomal Arrays from Recombinant Core Histones and Nucleosome Positioning DNA
10:40

Assembly of Nucleosomal Arrays from Recombinant Core Histones and Nucleosome Positioning DNA

Published on: September 10, 2013

Super-coil me: sizing up centromeric nucleosomes.

Emma Hill1, Ruth Williams

  • 1ehill@rockefeller.edu

The Journal of Cell Biology
|August 26, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Centromeres are crucial for cell division, anchoring proteins for chromosome segregation. Recent studies reveal new insights into centromere formation and the surprising structure of centromeric nucleosomes.

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Capturing Chromosome Conformation Across Length Scales
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Capturing Chromosome Conformation Across Length Scales

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Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Assembly of Nucleosomal Arrays from Recombinant Core Histones and Nucleosome Positioning DNA
10:40

Assembly of Nucleosomal Arrays from Recombinant Core Histones and Nucleosome Positioning DNA

Published on: September 10, 2013

In Situ Nucleosome Assembly for Single-Molecule Correlative Force and Fluorescence Microscopy
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In Situ Nucleosome Assembly for Single-Molecule Correlative Force and Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: September 6, 2024

Capturing Chromosome Conformation Across Length Scales
10:15

Capturing Chromosome Conformation Across Length Scales

Published on: January 20, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Centromeres are essential chromosomal regions for accurate cell division.
  • They serve as the attachment site for kinetochore proteins and spindle fibers.
  • The precise mechanisms of centromere formation and their structural details remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms governing centromere formation.
  • To investigate the structural characteristics of centromeric chromatin.
  • To identify key factors, such as chaperones, involved in centromere assembly.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent scientific literature on centromere biology.
  • Analysis of emerging data on histone chaperones in centromere establishment.
  • Examination of novel findings regarding centromeric nucleosome structure.

Main Results:

  • Recent research has identified novel chaperones that play critical roles in centromere formation.
  • Studies have revealed unexpected structural features of centromeric nucleosomes, including a "half-sized" and right-handed conformation.
  • These findings expand the understanding of how centromeric chromatin is assembled and maintained.

Conclusions:

  • The formation and structure of centromeres are complex processes involving specific chaperones.
  • The discovery of unique nucleosome structures challenges existing models of centromeric chromatin.
  • Further research is needed to fully comprehend the implications of these findings for chromosome segregation and genome stability.